IT came with its fair share of twists and turns, but what a window of racing we’ve just emerged from over the festive period.

Galopin Des Champs, Sir Gino and Brighterdaysahead led the way on the equine superstar performance front, while Joseph O’Brien, who is operating with reduced National Hunt numbers nowadays, deserves massive kudos for his Christmas exploits. Four winners in as many days, including three at Grade 1 level and a top-level runner-up at Limerick, can be viewed as a magnificent week’s work.